How Can I Prevent Excel 2010 From Launching A Default Document?

[Sandcastle]

I have discovered that whatever files I place into this folder:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\XLSTART
Will be automatically opened with the launch of Excel.

I'd like to launch Excel with NOTHING opening.
How can I do this?

Thanks in advance

[MarvinP]

Hi,

Does this link help?
http://www.officearticles.com/excel/...soft_excel.htm

Or perhaps rename XLSTART to XLSTART1 ?

[Sandcastle]

Renaming XLSTART causes Office to attempt installing the app, so that's not an option.

The Tools> Settings> General option is also not an option because Excel 2010 looks different and does not give the same options, see this screenshot: excel options general.PNG

[martindwilson]

The Tools> Settings> advanced>General maybe
http://www.officetooltips.com/excel/...matically.html

[Sandcastle]

You're right:
File> Options> Advanced> General> At startup, open all files in:
Is where you select the directory where you want to open files, however I want to open NOTHING.

[martindwilson]

just create a new shortcut to wherever your excel.exe is adding space /e to the end like this(this is mine for office 2007)
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE" /e
then use that to start excel

[Sandcastle]

Is this what you meant?
excel start shortcut.PNG

[martindwilson]

no thats looks like outlook just search the drive for excel.exe to find it but its probable in a similar path

[Sandcastle]

no thats looks like outlook just search the drive for excel.exe to find it but its probable in a similar path

I know where Excel resides. What I do not understand is the goal of putting a shortcut to it in the XLSTART folder.

[martindwilson]

You dont you put on you desktop and or your quick launch
Then use that to launch excel instead

[Sandcastle]

You dont you put on you desktop and or your quick launch
Then use that to launch excel instead

Ah, like THIS: How to Launch Excel with NO Default Workbook.jpg

Now I understand. This works! Thanks.